Hawaii

Overview

Miles and miles from your next meeting. Kick back and enjoy the sound of palm trees blowing in the breeze, volcanic rock pools and endless pristine sandy beaches.

What is it about the jewel-like string of North Pacific Hawaiian Islands that lures people back time and again? There’s great shopping and tropical benefits for starters. Add a rich cultural history rooted in ancient Polynesia and broadened by Asian, European and American influences plus a burgeoning new food movement and we’re calling it: Hawaii is back and more beautiful than ever.

Flights to Hawaii

Don't miss

Spread a towel on the famous sand of Waikiki Beach, enjoy a luau and have a fresh flower lei hung around your neck, but there is so much more.

Explore the black lava tidal pools at Leleiwi Beach Park while keeping a look out for sea turtles

Snorkel beneath the cliffs of historic Kealakekua Bay where Captain James Cook was killed

Take a 4WD to the unusual green sand Papakolea Beach at South Point, Big Island

Where to go

Oahu

It’s no accident that Oahu means 'the gathering place'.Nearby to Honolulu is Waikiki Beach, one of the most famous tourist destinations on the planet and the location of many of the long-established and premium resorts like the Halekulani.

Maui

When deciding where to go in Hawaii, Maui has to be at the top of your list.

Maui has been voted the best island in the world and it's easy to see why. World-renowned, luxury resorts and adventure water activities can be discovered on iconic beaches while the morning sunrise from the dormant volcano of Haleakala National Park will take your breath away.

In West Maui, you will find the busy and beautiful beaches of Kapalua and Kaanapali, Hawaii’s first resort and the place where you will see the cliff lighting ceremony.

On Maui’s south coast, you can snorkel, swim and kayak in Kihei, Wailea and Makena. Wailea and the smaller Makena have plenty of luxury resorts and upscale shopping places, like the Four Seasons at Wailea and Makena Beach Resort.

The village of Hana, on the east side is reached via a windy (some say hair-pin) drive, over bridges and past waterfalls with breathtaking views across the east coast – it’s a popular base for hiking.

Hawaii (big island)

Hawaii is often called ‘the big island’ to prevent confusion with the name for the larger group of islands.

The Kohala Coast resort area is a popular place for travellers, featuring plenty of golf courses and many superb beaches including the beautiful Anaehoomalu Beach (also known as A-Bay) fringed with palms and lined with royal fish ponds. It’s also the start of the 282 kilometre Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail which follows the coastline and crosses traditional fishing trails.

Fly south to Kahaluu Beach Park on the Kona Coast to discover the island’s most popular beach with reef-protected lagoons, coconut trees, salt and pepper sand, turquoise pools and easy snorkelling over tropical fish.

On the eastern side of the island, you’ll find the lush tropical town of Hilo, which gets more than 4,500 millimetres of rain per year and has plenty of waterfalls. In nearby Leleiwi Beach Park, you can find palm fringed black lava pools. In the centre, you’ll find the extinct volcano Mauna Kea and the active volcano Mauna Loa.

Kauai and Molokai

The 'garden isle', Kauai has an unspoiled natural beauty with attractions that include Wailua River, Waimea Canyon and the unique, dramatic Na Pali Coast with the world’s highest cliffs. Mount Waialeale is one of the wettest spots in the world. Most of the resorts, like the Grand Hyatt, have beachfront access.

The 'friendly isle', Molokai is one of the least developed in the island chain. Kalaupapa on the north shore was where the Belgian priest Father Damien set up and ran the famous leper colony on the remote Kalaupapa peninsula, now the Kalaupapa National Historical Park.

Quick facts

Currency

US Dollar (US$)

Electricity

110V/60Hz

Population

1,420,000

Seasons

Gorgeously consistent, the weather in Hawaii averages 27-29°C almost all year round with cooler nights. Summer is from May to October and winter is from November to April, but there is not a lot of temperature variation between the two seasons. There is increased rain between December and March.

Getting around

From the airport

From the airport, you can book a transfer to your hotel in Waikiki or to the cruise terminal taking you to the outer islands.

In and around the city

Exploring most of the islands requires a hire car, with the exception of Oahu which has an extensive public bus network. Car hire in Hawaii is cheap, the roads are easy to navigate and you can get to all those gorgeous off the beaten track beaches. There are limited bus services between major towns only. With regular inter-island flights and ferries for island-hopping it’s easy to just pick an island and take it from there.

Hawaii car hire

Book car hire with Avis, Budget, Hertz and Thrifty. Qantas Frequent Flyer members could earn Qantas Points^ with Avis and Budget.

Other destinations

Miami

New York

Las Vegas

Important Information

Disclaimer: ^ You must be a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to earn and redeem Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply. Membership and Qantas Points are subject to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program terms and conditions.

** Prices are per room, per night and vary depending on date of check in, length of stay and room type. Conditions apply.